Piano-bench.



E. V. MENDENHALL.

PIANO BENCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, 1910. 1,018,204. Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

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APPLICATION FILED 0GT.10, 1910.

1,018,204. Patented Feb. 20, 19 12.

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UNITED STATES PATEN ELBERT V. MENDENHALL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,ASSIGNOR TO MARY F. MENDENHALL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PIANO-BENCH.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT V. MENDEN- HALL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Piano-Bench, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to benches for use with pianos or piano players,and one Ohj ect of the invention is to provide simple and effectivemeans for adjusting the height of the bench.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for tipping thetop of the bench to adapt it for use as a piano player bench.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referringthereto:

Figure l is a perspective of the bench, looking from below, with theparts broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the top of the benchwith adjacent incline portions showing the means for retaining the topon the frame. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of an end portion of the topand frame, showing the means for giving an additional rise at the rearof the top. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the partsadjusted for elevation of the top, without tipping. Fig. 5 is aninverted plan of the controlling handle for the bench tipping means.Fig. 6 is an inverted plan of the stop meansfor the operating handle ofthe elevating devices. Fig. 7 is a detail section thereof. Figs. 8 and 9are vertical, longitudinal sections of a different form of the bench.Fig. 10 is a transverse section on line 00 ai in Fig. 9.

1 designates a rectangular frame provided with legs 2 and adapted tosupport the top 3 which is provided with depending flanges 3 fitting onframe 1 so as to movably support or operate the top on said frame,elevating means being provided, supported by said frame and connected tosaid top to adjust the height of the top relatively to the frame.Horizontal grooves or ways 4 are formed in each of the side members 5 ofthe frame and cross-bars or bars 6 are provided, having tongues 7 attheir ends sliding in the respective ways 4, one of said bars 6 beingarranged at each end of the frame and said bars sliding to and from oneanother and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 10, 1910.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 586,381.

engaging with incline members 8, secured to the top 3. The portion ofeach cross-bar 6 Where it engages with the incline members 8 ischamfered or beveled as at 6 in correspondence with the inclination ofthe operating or inclined face 8 of the inclined member. The aforesaidparts may be of wood. A metal strip 10 may be provided on eachcross-plate 6, extending beyond the cross-plate to engage in a groove 11formed in each iiicline member 8, parallel to the op erative inclinedface 8 thereof, forming an additional guiding-means and acting moreparticularly as a retainer for preventing the top from being lifted off.the frame. The members 6 are operated longitudinally of the frame bymeans of a lever 13 pivoted at 13 on a cross-member 15 extending acrossthe frame 1 between the side members 5 thereof, said lever 13 beingconnected by links 16 to pivots 17 on the respective crossmembers 6. Anoperating handle 18 is provided for the lever 13, said handle beingslidable radially in a slot 20 in the lever 13, and being provided witha projection 21 engaging in notches 22 in a detent plate secured on theframe 1, a spring 24 being provided at said slot 20 to press theprojection into such engagement. The notches 22 in the detent plate 23are preferably ratchetshaped so as to provide for free movement of thehandle and lever in direction to raise the top, but to prevent thereturn movement until the projection on the handle is released from thedetent means.

Means are preferably provided for raising the plates 6 at the rear endsthereof in the separation of said plates so as to tip the rear of thetop member 3 upward, said means consisting, for example, of a block 28pivoted at 28 on the frame 1 and having face 29 adapted to rest on thebottom of the groove or way 4, and an incline face 30 adapted in thisposition of the block to form an incline plane near the end of the slotto engage the cross-member 6 and cause the same to ride upwardly in itslongitudinal movement, the side member 5 of the frame 1 being cut awayor slotted as at 5' adjacent to and above said block 28 to provide aninclined extension of the horizontal way 4 in said side members 5. Theouter ends of said block 28 are provided with an incline surface 32engaged by a pin 33 formed on or carried by the bar or rod 34-, the twobars or rods 3.4; from each end of the machine being bent down near themidlength of the machine to engage in a handle 35 pivoted at 35 on theframe 1 so that by partial rotation of said handle, the pins 83 may beoperated longitudinally to ride on the incline surfaces 32 and cause theblock 28 to be swung upwardly into position shown in Fig. 4-, leaving anunobstructed horizontal extension of the channel or way t at the rear ofthe frame.

In normal position when the top is depressed, the cross-bars 6 are intheir innermost positions as shown in Fig. 1. lVhen it is desired toelevate the top, the handle 13 is turned so that acting through thelinks 16, it operates to separate the crossmembers 6, causing saidmembers to slide longitudinally on the incline members 8, therebypushing up the top. Assuming that the bench is to be used as a pianobench, the supplementary lifting means operated by the handle 35 ismoved to position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, causing the pins 33to ride on inclines 32 and tipping up the blocks 28, leaving thehorizontal way extension at each end of the way 4: unobstructed forpassage thereinto of the crossmembers 6. If, however, it be desired touse the bench with a piano player, the handle member 35 is operated toposition shown in full lines in Fig. 5, thereby causing the blocks 28 tobe tipped from position shown in Fig. 4t to that shown in Fig. 3 byoperation of the pins 33 on rods 84, said pins riding on the inclinesurfaces 32 on blocks 30, and passing from the inner to the outer end ofsaid incline surfaces so as to allow the blocks to descend by gravity toposition shown in Fig. 3, presenting incline faces on which thecross-members 6 ride in their outward movement, said faces causing saidblocks to be tipped upwardly at their rear ends; this operationresulting in corresponding tipping of the top of the bench. In whateverthe position the bench may be adjusted, it is secured therein byengagement of the catch means on the handle 13 with the detent plate 22.It will be noted that in the elevation of the top, the cross-members 6act in opposite directions on the respective pairs of wedging devices onthe top member, so that the pressures are balanced longitudinally andthere is no tendency to press or bind the top against the frame. Thisconstruction gives minimum friction and wear in the operation of thedevice.

Instead of using inclined members on the top of the bench, the elevationof the bench may be efiected by inclined portions 38 in the guidinggrooves 39 for the longitudinally extensible members, as shown in Figs.8 and 9, said guiding groove 39 in these figures being provided in theside members 13 of the frame 1' and the top 4.2 being provided withblocks 11 extending parallel to the top and engaging with transverseplates or bars 1 1 which slide under said blocks and are guided andretained thereon by metal plates 15 engaging in grooves 46 in saidblocks. Said blocks 44: are operated by link connections 47 to levermeans similar to that above described for longitudinal extension of thecross-members 6 and the operation is the same as above described, exceptthat the elevation is provided for by inclines on the frame in place ofinclines on the top. In order to provide for tipping of the bench inthis form of the invention, movable blocks 48 are pivoted at 419 at theupper ends of the inclined slots 38 at the rear side of the bench, thecross members 4-1 being provided with extensions 50 adapted to run insaid inclined slot portions 88 and onto blocks 48. Said blocks 48 areoperated through rods 51 by a. controlling handle 52 in similar mannerto the operation of the blocks 28 above described, so as to lift thesaid blocks 48 out of the way, to position shown in dotted lines, whenit is desired to allow the top to be elevated without tipping. In thiscase the extensions 50 on the cross members 44 ride onto fiat portions53 at the upper ends of the respective inclined slots 38, said flatportions being the same at the front and rear sides of the bench.

What I claim is:

1. In a piano bench, a frame, a top mounted to move vertically thereon,a cross member movable longitudinally of said frame, said frame beingprovided with a guide-way for said cross member, incline means on thetop and incline means on said guide-way for engaging the cross member,to raise the top in the longitudinal movement of the cross member, bythe joint action of said incline means, and means for moving said crossmember longitudinally of the frame.

2. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top mounted to move verticallythereon, cross members movable longitudinally of the frame, means formoving said cross members longitudinally of the frame, incline meansengaging said cross members to raise said top, said incline means havinga greater lift in one side of the bench than the other, so as to tip thetop of the bench.

3. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top movably mounted thereon,incline members on said top, cross-members longitudinally slidable onsaid frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, and linksconnecting said lever with said cross-members to separate saidcross-members longitudinally in the pivotal operation of said lever,said frame being provided with guide-ways at each side for guiding thesaid cross-members, and means in said guide-ways at one side of theframe for tipping the corresponding ends of the cross-members upward intheir outer movement along the frame, thereby tipping the top of theframe.

4. A piano bench, comprising a frame, a top movably mounted thereon,incline members on said top, cross-members longitudinally slidable onsaid frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, and linksconnecting said lever with said cross-members to separate saidcross-members longitudinally in the pivotal operation of said lever,said frame being provided with guide-ways at each side for guiding thesaid cross-bars, and means in said guide-ways at one side of the framefor tipping the corresponding ends of the cross-members upward in theirouter movement along the frame, thereby tipping the top of the bench,said means comprising blocks pivotally mounted in said ways and movableinto position to leave the ways clear of obstruction beneath saidblocks, and also movable into position to obstruct said ways, saidblocks being formed with inclined faces on which the said crossmembersride in their outward movement and means for controlling the position ofsaid blocks.

5. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top movably mounted thereon,incline members on said top, cross-members longitudinally slidable onsaid frame, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, and linksconnecting said lever with said cross-members to separate saidcross-members longitudinally in the pivotal operation of said lever,said frame being provided with guide-ways at each side for guiding thesaid cross-bars, and means in said guide-ways at one side of the framefor tipping the corresponding ends of the cross-members upward in theirouter movement along the frame, thereby tipping the topof the bench,said means comprising blocks pivotally mounted in said ways and movableinto position to leave the ways clear of obstruction beneath saidblocks, and also movable into position to obstruct said ways, saidblocks being formed with inclined faces on which the said crossmembersride in their outward movement and means for controlling the position ofsaid blocks comprising rods engaging said blocks and handle connected tooperate the rods for both blocks simultaneously.

6. A piano bench comprising a frame, a

top movably mounted thereon, cross members mounted to slidelongitudinally on said frame and having a sliding engagement with thetop, incline means providing for elevation of said cross members intheir longitudinalmovement, an operating lever, links connecting saidlever with respective cross members to move the same longitudinally inopposite directions, and movable means at one side of said frame adaptedto be moved into the path of said cross members to elevate one sidethereof and to be moved out of said path to allow the cross members tomove similarly at both sides of the frame, and means for controlling theposition of said movable means.

7. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top vertically movable thereon,inclined members on said top, cross members longitudinally slidable onsaid frame, means for moving said cross members longitudinally of theframe, said frame being provided with guide-ways at each side forguiding said cross members, and incline means engaging said crossmembers in their longitudinal movement to raise said top member more atone side than at the other.

8. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top vertically movable thereon,longitudinal guide-ways on said frame, cross members mounted to slidelongitudinally in said guide-ways, means for operating said crossmembers longitudinally in said guide-ways, incline members on said topengaging said cross members to lift both sides of the top, and inclinemeans engaging said cross members in the latter part of theirlongitudinal movement, to lift one side of the top more than the otherside.

9. A piano bench comprising a frame, a top vertically movable thereon,cross members mounted to slide longitudinally on said frame, inclinemeans operated by the longitudinal movement of the said cross members toraise the top, said incline means having a greater range of movement onone side than on the other so as to tip the top when the cross membersare moved longitudinally.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 29th day of September, 1910.

ELBERT V. MENDENHALL.

In presence of- ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

